The video that President Donald Trump tweeted out early Sunday showing him bodyslamming a man whose face was obscured by the CNN logo appears to have come from a user on Reddit.
A user with the handle “HanAssholeSolo” said that he/she originally posted the gif on Reddit.
“Holy shit!! I wake up and have my morning coffee and who retweets my shitpost but the MAGA EMPORER himself!!!” the user commented.
HanAssholeSolo: “Holy shit!! I wake up and have my morning coffee and who retweets my shitpost but the MAGA EMPORER himself!!!” pic.twitter.com/xOQ2jlQqwb
— Hunter Schwarz (@hunterschwarz) July 2, 2017
The one that the president tweeted was tweaked slightly to include the words “FNN: Fraud News Network.” The video appears to be a doctored version of Trump’s 2007 appearance on World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. The 28-second clip was posted on Trump’s official Twitter account, with the message: “#FraudNewsCNN #FNN.”
#FraudNewsCNN #FNN pic.twitter.com/WYUnHjjUjg
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 2, 2017
The president stayed on the attack later in the day, stating on Twitter that “the dishonest media will NEVER keep us from accomplishing our objectives on behalf of our GREAT AMERICAN PEOPLE!”
Many in the media reacted with outrage. CNN said the tweet “encourages violence against reporters,” adding: “We will keep doing our jobs. He should start doing his.”
Bruce Brown, executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, condemned the video as a “threat of physical violence against journalists.” He said Trump’s tweet was “beneath the office of the presidency.”
A White House aide insisted the tweet should not send a chill across the media landscape.
“I think that no one would perceive that as a threat,” said homeland security adviser Tom Bossert. “I hope they don’t. But I do think that he’s beaten up in a way on cable platforms that he has a right to respond to.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
